


voices of a distant star

by hachimitsuto



Category: GOT7, TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-27
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-10-11 15:31:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10468257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hachimitsuto/pseuds/hachimitsuto
Summary: Years after Jinyoung disappeared from the entertainment industry, he returns in a fashion that nobody expected. In fact, no one expected him at all.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * In response to a prompt by Anonymous in the [kpopolymfics2017](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/kpopolymfics2017) collection. 



> This fic was written for K-Pop Olymfics 2017. Olymfics is a challenge in which participants write fics based on prompt sets and compete against other teams of writers, organized by genre. 
> 
> This is Team Future’s fic for the following prompt set:
> 
>  
> 
> **Prompt:**
> 
>  
> 
>  **Roy Kim – "The Great Dipper"**  
> [lyrics](http://roykimtrans.blogspot.tw/2015/12/2-buk-du-chil-sung-great-dipper.html) | [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iSuSghFi6c) | [supplementary](https://www.flickr.com/photos/simonparec/17357091383) [prompts](http://67.media.tumblr.com/d9245383f93acd5569516f6a5e82f9bd/tumblr_oh8yj2Y0gE1v9m0i0o1_500.jpg)
> 
> The other 2 fics for this prompt can be found in the collection. Competition winners are chosen by the readers, so please rate this fic using [this survey](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1PL8XZk29nuuvf5pYuuuk589R7S7g-t9cqNkBQ9EuHO8/viewform?edit_requested=true)!
> 
>  
> 
> Title taken from Shinkai Makoto's short film.

_You are cordially invited to celebrate the marriage of_

_** Park Jinyoung & Im Nayeon ** _

_Sunday, September 1st, 2024_

_At Samcheonggak, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul_

  
  
  
  
  


 

**Im Nayeon announced her marriage plans**

by Lee Hae-in

 

Im Nayeon is tying the knot!

 

The 29-year-old idol-turned-actress made the shocking announcement through a handwritten letter which she posted on her personal social media account. Adding more to the surprise is the identity of her groom-to-be, who is revealed to be former idol Park Jinyoung.

 

Park, 30, debuted under the same agency as one half of JJ Project along with renowned star JB. He participated in several dramas as minor characters before leaving South Korea to further his studies.

 

In her letter, Im explains that she and Park were reunited by chance in Melbourne where he currently resides, when she was there in 2021 to promote her film _In The Forest_. Gradually, their friendship bloomed into a romantic relationship. _“Despite our distance, Jinyoung has been a great friend who gave me strength and comforting words when I was having a hard time”_ , she writes. She also apologizes to her fans for not disclosing her relationship earlier.

 

Im began her career as a member of girl group Oasix and focused on acting after the group dissolved. She recently wrapped up filming of _See You Tomorrow_ , which is set to premiere summer next year.

 

The two are set to be married this Sunday in a private ceremony for family and close friends. Congratulations to the beautiful couple!

  
  
  
  
  


 

 

**Im Nayeon to marry JJ Project’s Jinyoung**

 

Nayeon announced her marriage to former labelmate Park Jinyoung. They met again in Melbourne and resumed their friendship, and started dating three years later. They will tie the knot on September 1.

 

  1. [+297 -32] Weren’t there rumors about Nayeon and JB some time ago? What a plot twist.



 

  1. [+252 -6] They even have the same birthday ㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ



 

  1. [+229 -20] Daebak... A long distance relationship? No wonder we never heard anything ㅋ



 

  1. [+210 -8] I was Jinyoung’s fan. After he left I always wondered about him. This is not the news I anticipated ㅠㅠ



 

  1. [+183 -34] Is there a baby ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ



 

  1. [+168 -10] Makes me wonder if they used to date as well back then? Heol daebak



  
  
  
  


 

 

Jinyoung awakes before dawn even breaks. The whole house is dark except for the parts near the windows. He blames his body clock, but as he sits at the breakfast bar in the kitchen looking out the window, he feels rather grateful. The past weeks have been tiring, especially moving back to the country that he now feels foreign in. The sky is still dark, but some buildings outside are already showing signs of life.

 

Has Seoul always been this alive? Or was he just used to living in rundown rentals that were never higher than five stories, far in the corner where the sun hardly reached?

 

“Still can’t adjust to the time difference?”

 

He glances at the direction of where the voice comes from, and finds Nayeon making her way to the kitchen bar to pour herself a glass of water. He smiles and pulls out the chair next to him. “I’ll adjust soon. It’s just a couple of hours anyway. Did I wake you up?”

 

“Nah. I’ve always had troubles sleeping” is her reply.

 

She doesn’t sit down, but chooses to continue standing where she’s at while looking out the window like he did. She’s wearing an oversized hoodie over a pair of leggings. Her long black hair is tied back in a simple ponytail. Somehow reminds him of when he used to see her in company, more than a decade ago, way before they learned the ways of the world. Except she used to have bangs then.

 

“Do you regret coming back here?” she asks all of her sudden. Her expression doesn’t change. If anything, she seems wistful.

 

“Why do you ask?” he challenges back.

 

A shrug. “Just wondering. You still have time to back out.”

 

He studies her face, then looks back out. His left hand is wrapped around his mug of coffee that’s slowly losing its warmth. After a while, he returns his gaze at her and flashes another smile. “I don’t,” he tells her.

  
  
  
  


 

 

After the news came out, Jinyoung’s name became the most searched keyword online right after Nayeon’s. His debut song is climbing up the charts again after over a decade. His phone has been flooded with incoming calls and texts from unrecognized numbers. He found these incredible. After all, the most he received was occasional texts from friends, rather formal ones regarding his song releases or dramas appearances.

 

He reads every comment on the articles out of curiosity, just to know what people are saying about him. Over the years he’s left the industry, he realizes that not much has changed. Netizens are still relentlessly mean and malicious. Only a handful of them sound genuinely happy about the news, though he can’t be that sure.

 

“I see that you haven’t grown out of your old habit,” Nayeon points out.

 

Jinyoung switches to another tab at a speed that’s almost extraordinary, a skill he picked up as a teenage boy, and blinks. “I didn’t hear you coming in.”

 

She’s already removed her coat. With a weary smile, she seats herself near him on the sofa, while he’s sitting on the rug, and takes the mug on the table to have a sip of his coffee without asking. Not that he minds. “What did they say?” she asks.

 

“Same old stuff,” he shrugs, shutting down his laptop. “What did the company say?”

 

“Same old stuff,” she echoes him, grinning. “I had an earful.”

 

“Is it really okay that I didn’t go with you?”

 

She puts the mug back down, flashes another tight-lipped smile and shakes her head. “Don’t worry about it. Going alone was better.”

 

“In case I reveal the truth?” Jinyoung tests the waters.

 

“No. In case going to the company opens up old wounds.”

 

He stares ahead at her through her reflection on the television screen. Her face shows no particular expression. Her words made him realize how well she knows him now. He manages a small smile. “I appreciate the thought, but you don’t need to be concerned about me anymore,” he says, then turns around so their eyes meet. “After all you already have a lot on your plate.”

 

She rests her elbow on the armrest and props her tilted head in the palm of her hand. “It’s alright. Husband and wife are supposed to look after each other, right?”

 

There’s that. He doesn’t say anything more.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**[pann] Netizens remember Park Jinyoung’s idol days**

 

Jinyoung debuted with JB in 2012 under a special project group, JJ Project. Unfortunately they did not turn out successful even though JB later gained popularity.

 

He started acting in some dramas. The roles he had were all small: classmate of the lead, younger version of the lead, a part-timer. He was good at acting but his talent wasn’t recognized ㅠㅠ

 

I guess the company favored JB because he was pushed into the spotlight more. He was in many variety shows and was more famous. There were rumors that they were supposed to debut again in another group with other trainees, but that plan fell through and JB ended up going solo instead while Jinyoung left to further his studies.

 

He never came back though ㅠㅠ Some fans tried to keep up with his whereabouts but the last time they managed to track him, it was five years ago and he was in Canada.

 

It’s funny that he’s marrying someone from his old agency. Another idol at that. Fate is daebak.

  
  
  
  


 

 

SBS is airing a rerun of a medical drama Jinyoung acted in two months after his debut. It can’t be coincidence, seeing that the drama was one of those dramas with low ratings and was immediately forgotten after it ended. It was hardly mentioned at the year end awards show as well. Not that he was invited.

 

He wasn’t even a supporting cast, but a mere character who appeared for two episodes. He played a high school student who dreamed to be a professional soccer player, but got involved in an accident and lost his leg.

 

Jinyoung managed to cry for his scene at first take, which is a good record especially for a rookie idol actor. But in the same episode that scene happened, a more popular idol made a cameo, and news articles were all about her. He realized then that talent wasn’t all that it takes to be recognized.

 

And like most of the things that happened during his career, Jinyoung left Korea unnoticed.

 

When he informed his agency of his plans, they didn’t hold him back. There weren’t many questions, and there weren’t any discussions about his return. It didn’t surprise him somehow, though he wouldn’t say he wasn’t disappointed.

 

He chose Canada because it was far, and it was cold. Nobody knew him there, and likewise, he didn’t know anyone. He could walk down the streets without wondering when would he be able to hear his songs coming from the stores, his turn to grace the billboards come, and people stop him to ask for a photo together.

 

In Canada, he could just live as a regular person who didn’t have to worry about making a great impression, mastering every dance move while nailing every high note, and looking good every minute. He didn’t have to worry about living up to expectations anymore. Even if he caught himself staring at the Naver homepage sometimes, the cold weather was a good distraction. He buried his past as quickly as the snow covering the ground.

 

Jinyoung learned how to live without the spotlight with ease. But then again, the spotlight was never on him in the first place.

  
  
  
  


 

 

Nayeon joined the company not too long after Jinyoung did. Although they did talk to each other from time to time, saying that they were friends would be a stretch. They were always hanging out with different people. After he had his debut, the distance grew even more.

 

Some time before her official debut, he learned that she was to be revealed to the public for the first time as Jaebum’s partner for a school uniform CF, just to give people a glimpse of JYP’s upcoming girl group. The news didn’t surprise him because he’d always known that she’s the kind of girl the public would love. No doubt the company saw that too.

 

What did surprise him was her question when they ran into each other again at the same basement practice room.

 

“Is Jaebum really the same person I see on TV?”

 

He raised his brows at Nayeon and wondered if he heard it wrong. “What do you mean?” he asked, despite understanding perfectly what she meant.

 

“I heard people aren’t really what they portrayed themselves as in public. You know, image.” she shrugged nonchalantly, but her eyes were wary. Jinyoung’s own were cast down on her worn out sneakers. It took him three pairs until he received the green light to debut. Maybe three pairs weren’t quite enough.

 

He shifted his gaze back at her, and wondered how many pairs she had worn out. How many did it take Jaebum? Jinyoung never did find out.

 

“Some people are like that. Jaebum is not one of them,” he told her.

 

“Really?”

 

“Of course.”

 

She smiled. “Okay. I trust you.”

 

He didn’t return her smile.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**Im Nayeon tied the knot**

 

Nayeon has now officially become a wife.

 

After making the surprise announcement last week, the actress married former idol Park Jinyoung in a traditional themed wedding ceremony at Samcheonggak, Seongbuk-gu yesterday. Donning a beautiful flower-embroided hanbok, Nayeon appears dazzling in the photo revealed to the public while her groom looks just as dashing in light blue.

 

Several celebrity friends posted congratulatory messages on their social media accounts for the couple, including labelmates Park Jimin and Shin Eunsoo, and actor Lee Taehwan. The _In Jeju_ co-star wrote, _“Congratulations on your marriage! My friend who always works hard, be happy.”_

 

Nayeon will be taking a break from acting, JYP Entertainment representatives reported. However, no announcement regarding the couple’s honeymoon has been made.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**[enter talk] Photos from Im Nayeon and Park Jinyoung Wedding**

 

  1. [+276 -26] Nayeon is a goddess heol



 

  1. [+162 -14] I’ve liked Nayeon since she debuted. Never imagined she would get married so fast. I feel like I’m sending my daughter off ㅠㅠ Be happy Nayeon-ah



 

  1. [+158 -45] I wonder if her members were there ㅋㅋㅋ



 

  1. [+108 -3] Goodbye my first love



 

  1. [+91 -2] Jinyoung was handsome then. He’s still so handsome. They look good together ㅜㅜ I’m jealous...



  
  
  


 

 

In 2014, JYP finally debuted the much anticipated girl group. Unsurprisingly, Nayeon was in the line up along with five other girls. In order to make them appear more public friendly, their concept was bright yet quirky, suitable for their age.

 

“I hate my group name,” Nayeon complained to Jinyoung at the debut party. He was at the terrace chatting with Wonpil, and she came after the latter headed back inside.

 

It was cold out, and Jinyoung noticed that she didn’t take her coat with her. He stopped himself from taking his own off, aware of the invisible watching eyes. “Why? People say it’s cute.”

 

Oasix is supposed to be a play on word and number, something their PD, JY Park has always loved. Jinyoung read the articles the day their first teaser came out. It wasn’t entirely genius, but it could have been worse. Like JJ Project.

 

“Doesn’t it sound tacky?” she pouted a little. Her lips were a bright shade of red. This wasn’t her first time wearing makeup, but Jinyoung had never seen her all dolled up in person before. It was a strange feeling.

 

“I heard Girl’s Generation didn’t like their group name either,” he told her.

 

With a _tch_ , she chuckled, then took a sip of the drink she’d been holding.

 

He stared at her for a while. They stood out here in silence until someone called her. She glanced back at him before she disappeared into the crowd, flashing him a broad, happy smile.

 

Two days later, Nayeon performed on a music show for the first time; the beginning of her career. The same day, Jinyoung headed into the director’s office to end his.

  
  
  
  


 

 

No fans waited for him at the arrival hall the day he arrived at Incheon International Airport a month ago. Jinyoung didn’t expect them to, anyway. After all, no one was there when he left.

 

Today, there was a throng of fans flocking the entrance as his- Nayeon’s car tried to make its way to Grand Hyatt’s basement parking. Some holding signs of his name, some screaming it, and some even throwing eggs on the window. Jinyoung watched all of these happening in awe and horror. A scene he wasn’t, never had the chance to get used to.

 

It is all he thinks about now, even as he sits backstage with all the staff going around in the room. He’s already dressed in the suit prepared for him. His makeup was done 30 minutes ago. In front of him on the table, there’s a script that he’s supposed to be memorizing. Except he’s not.

 

“You alright?” Nayeon’s voice is gentle. The concern in her eyes is unmistakable.

 

“I’m fine,” he tries to reassure her, but it doesn’t seem to work. “I’ll be fine,” he adds with a small smile.

 

Without saying anything, she sits down next to him, reaches for his hand, and curls her fingers around it. The staff are all gone now, he notices. Even her manager. There are just the two of them in the room. He keeps his eyes on their hands, large against tiny, rough skin against smooth. Kind of mismatched. He thinks it’s nice, strange as it is.

 

“We need to get your car washed,” he says.

 

She raises her brows, appearing both surprised and amused. “Is that what you’ve been thinking all this while?”

 

“Someone wrote I should go die.”

 

The smile disappears. Still, she doesn’t move her hand away. “Someone wrote the same thing when I did my first CF with Jaebum,” she tells him, voice soft. “Are we supposed to listen to them? I think you know better, _sunbae-nim_.”

 

Hearing that word, Jinyoung lifts his gaze to meet hers. “I don’t feel like a _sunbae_ anymore,” he says. “In fact I haven’t been one for so long.”

 

She’s smiling, but her face is serious. “There are probably hundreds of cameras waiting outside. The flashes will be nonstop. Are you sure you can handle this?”

 

The decision to hold this press conference was made even before their wedding took place, although they announced it afterwards. It wasn’t easy to come to an agreement, but both of them realized that it is the key event for this entire stage. Jinyoung, who didn’t quite get a taste of fame, and Nayeon, who has been the center of it for the past years. They are a pairing to look out for and not to be missed.

 

He wraps his fingers firmly around hers in return to her gesture. “Yes.” He nods once, however it’s enough to reassure her. “Let’s do this.”

  
  
  
  


 

 

Two years ago, his doorbell rang for the first time in a long while. Jinyoung wasn’t expecting any pizza nor parcel. The last time someone did ring his doorbell not to deliver something, it was his neighbour, in a drunken state, who came to the wrong door by mistake. That was almost a year ago.

 

“I found you at last,” was what Nayeon exclaimed in a triumphant voice. She was grinning broadly, revealing her front teeth that have always been her trademark.

 

“Im Nayeon,” was the only thing he managed to say. Jinyoung couldn’t remember the last time he saw her in flesh, not on screen or posters. It probably had almost been a decade, yet nothing much had changed about her, unsurprisingly. Her smile was just like how he remembered it to be, with a hint of warmth and mischief, a rather quirky combination.

 

Then again, Nayeon was anything but ordinary.

 

She tilted her head slightly, looking like she was pleased by him. Standing like this, it was like they were back in the basement practice room. He almost bumped into her at the door on his way in, and her eyes were red when she looked up at him through her bangs. It seemed like she was trying her best not to cry. Jinyoung didn’t ask, and instead made way for her to leave when she murmured a quiet “I’m sorry”.

 

Her eyes were bright when she appeared in front of his door in Melbourne years later. Perhaps a little tired, but at least they weren’t red.

 

“Say, Jinyoung,” she began. “Do you want to play a game?”

  
  
  


 

 

**Nayeon-Jinyoung talk past, present and future**

by Gong Injoon

 

Actress Im Nayeon and former idol Park Jinyoung opened up about their relationship.

 

The newlyweds held a press conference yesterday at Grand Hyatt Seoul to talk about their marriage, three days after their wedding. Nayeon explains, _“Marriage is not something that should be clarified through a press conference, but I’m aware that there a lot of questions about our relationship.”_

 

Nayeon revealed that the decision to hide their relationship was made to keep Jinyoung from the spotlight due to his anxiety. After leaving the industry, Jinyoung, who currently works as a researcher at a university in Melbourne, reportedly developed a fear of cameras.

 

 _“Even if it’s just a smartphone, I become nervous and uncomfortable.”_ Jinyoung added. _“However, I realized that I shouldn’t selfishly continue protecting only myself, especially if I want to be someone worthy of a woman like Nayeon. That’s why I decided to challenge myself and face my fear properly, head on. After all, marriage is a two-way street.”_

 

The 30-year-old denied claims that he is on bad terms with his former agency. _“(JYP Entertainment) gave me a valuable opportunity. Even though that part has become my past, I am eternally grateful for the experience.”_

 

Jinyoung also stated that he has no plans to resume his singing or acting career.

 

Meanwhile, Nayeon addressed her previous dating rumours with labelmate JB.

 

_“We’re from the same agency and we’ve worked together. Naturally, we grew close, but rather than a romantic relationship, we treat each other like siblings.”_

 

The couple also shared some intimate memories from their dating days and answered questions regarding their future plans.

 

 _“Both of us really like kids, but for the meantime, we’d like to spend some quiet time together,”_ Nayeon tells the media.

 

The lovebirds wrapped up the press conference with a promise to be a happy couple who will always count their blessings.

  
  
  
  


 

 

Nayeon finds Jinyoung asleep on the sofa in the morning. His laptop is perched on the table, its screen blank. There’s a set of papers next to it, but they look exactly as they were the last time she saw them the previous night. Did he stay up reading comments again?

 

She reads an article from their press conference while waiting for her coffee to be ready, then scrolls down for the comments. Everything is just as they expected.

 

Just in time as she moves to the next news article, her coffee is done. She pours it into her mug as she reads the headline.

 

_JB’s wild night out._

  
  
  
  


 

 

At least a year has passed since the last time she was here. Yet, the moment she steps inside the restaurant, nothing seems to have changed, as if the concept of time does not exist in this place.

 

The old lady welcomes Nayeon in with the warmest smile - another thing that remains the same. For a moment, she even wonders if the lady still remembers her. She used to come by so often in the past that she would receive special side dishes on the house at times.

 

That was before things happened.

 

Nayeon exhales a sigh. Almost at the same time, she spots the person she’s looking for. _As expected_. She walks over and joins him at his table.

 

“I know I’d find you here.”

 

If Jaebum is surprised, he sure is a good actor.

 

“Is it okay for you to be here?” she asks.

 

“Shouldn’t that be my question?” Jaebum doesn’t even spare her a look and glance up from his bowl of _haejangguk_. Nayeon only scoffs. He finally meets her gaze when he sets his cutleries down, reaches for the tissue and wipes the side of his mouth. “Does your husband know you’re here?”

 

There’s venom in his tone, and it doesn’t faze her. It’s expected even, especially when it comes to Jaebum. She does know better, after all.

 

“Aren’t you too old for this kind of rebellious act?”

 

“I don’t want to hear that from someone who got married to seek attention.”

 

“And I don’t need a man who, after all these years, still can’t make good decisions to judge me.”

 

He picks up his spoon again. “Leave if you came here to pick a fight.”

 

“I came here because I was worried.”

 

Nayeon feels her hand, her lip trembling. Of anger, of frustration, she doesn’t know which. She breathes heavily and wills herself to look away.

 

Unlike this restaurant that has remained the same over the years, the two of them have changed too much. They are no longer the young, naive pair of teenagers they were then. Even though they’re sitting at the same table at the far corner of the restaurant as they used to, they don’t feel excited about escaping people’s attention and over the warm, filling meals anymore. Instead of laughing at the littlest thing, they’re provoking each other on purpose and targeting the exact spot where they know hurts the most.

 

“That wouldn’t be necessary,” he replies, voice gentler than before. His eyes are hidden behind his overgrown hair. She wishes she can reach out and sweep it to the side.

 

She wishes just like all the other things in this place where time stands still, they could remain the same too.

 

“You should leave, Nayeon.”

 

But they’ve changed too much.

  
  
  
  


 

 

Jinyoung only returns to the apartment when the sun almost sinks all the way into the horizon. He’s already left when Nayeon came home that afternoon with a lunch plan and an unread text message from him.

 

“Welcome back,” she greets him from the living room. She’s watching a rerun of an old television series that she has always wanted to watch but never had time to. Now that she has plenty of it, she doesn’t quite know what to do until she turned the TV on. “You look tired. Want me to fix you some coffee?” she offers.

 

Shaking his head, he heads to the kitchen and pours himself a glass of water. “It’s alright. I’ve had enough coffee today to last a lifetime.”

 

She smiles sympathetically, too aware of that feeling. “Did you eat?”

 

“Ah,” he says, looking as though he’s just remembered an errand that he was supposed to run but forgot, and glances at the clock. “I didn’t.”

 

“Let’s order something in,” suggests Nayeon while turning the TV off. She joins him at the kitchen and tries to remember where she keeps all the food delivery flyers. “Or should I cook something simple instead?” She checks inside the refrigerator and cabinets, then realizes that there’s not much besides a couple of shriveled up carrots and frozen dumplings. She turns to look at him with apologetic eyes. “Ramyun?”

 

He smiles. “Ramyun sounds good.”

 

Now that he thinks about it, there wasn’t any food in the house either two years back when Nayeon turned up out of the blue and told him she was hungry, as though it hadn’t been eight years since they last saw each other. The nearest diner was two blocks away, so Jinyoung ended up taking her to a café in his neighbourhood.

 

“I met Jaebum today,” she says once the ramyun is ready and they’re seated at the table. Steam arises as soon as she removes the lid, and the familiar fragrant quickly fills the air.

 

Jinyoung keeps his eyes on the noodles as she scoops them into a bowl instead of looking at her. “I saw the article,” he replies. “How’s he?”

 

“The usual,” she returns nonchalantly while handing him the bowl. “The company is pushing back his new album, which is expected. They’re waiting for this issue to die down, but in the meantime he’ll cause more trouble. It’s a never ending cycle.”

 

Jaebum loves to be in the spotlight. That’s a fact that Jinyoung came to learn over the years he spent with him. Jaebum is the kind of person who would do anything for another second on camera, even if that means pretending the failed project group he came from never existed and casting aside the people in his life. But popularity is like migratory birds; it never stays in the same place for so long. Jaebum is losing sight of it and unfortunately, he isn’t coping with the fact well.

 

“There’s a good news though,” Nayeon continues. “We received a lot of invitations.”

 

Jinyoung raises his eyebrows. “But we’re not going to accept any of them, are we?”

 

She grins and answers his question before she starts to dig in as well. “We’re not. Not yet.”

  
  
  
  


 

 

“What do you think?” she had asked after mapping out her grand plan.

 

Jinyoung pondered over it while sipping his coffee that had gone colder than he preferred, and smiled briefly at the waiter who walked by their table afterward. Since he was a regular at this café, most of the staff recognized him. None of them recognized Nayeon or understood his native language, fortunately. He could hear snatches of conversation and sounds of fingers against keyboard. Perhaps none of them ever imagined being the witnesses of what could be South Korea’s biggest scandal.

 

Without meeting her eyes, he asked. “So you’re saying, you came all the way here to see me to propose this plan?”

 

“In other words, I came all the way to propose to you.”

 

Her response came so easy that he would probably believe it if someone told him she’d practised. When he thought about the Nayeon from his memories, the one sitting across of him felt painfully unfamiliar. Did she still have a habit of keeping band-aids in her purse? Did she still carry a tumbler with her everywhere she went to? Did she still go to the basement practice room every now and then when she needed to be alone, even now when she no longer had a reason to be there?

 

And did he, on the other hand, appear just as different to her?

 

“Just tell me one thing,” he said, looking at the cinnamon roll that he ordered for her earlier, for the lack of better options. It remained untouched. “What do you gain from this?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“It’s clear how I can benefit if I agree to your plan. But what good does it do to you? If anything, you’re the one who has more to lose.”

 

Crossing her legs, Nayeon smiled a smile that made her appear more distant. He’d never seen this smile before. “I don’t gain anything in particular,” she confessed. “But if everything goes smoothly, I will feel satisfied.”

 

“Is that how much you care for Jaebum?”

 

She looked at him as if she was impressed by him. Jinyoung was never someone would take risks and go out of his way for something, even if his curiosity was killing him. For some reason, he felt like pushing his luck and pressing her further. Maybe, after all, both of them had changed.

 

“You know the answer,” she replied.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**[naver] Nayeon & Jinyoung: A match made in heaven?**

 

Similarities between Im Nayeon and Park Jinyoung:

 

\- From the same agency, JYP Entertainment

\- Started acting after debut

\- Both their debut films were produced by Han Cinema but Jinyoung only had a small role

\- Same position in their group (lead vocal)

\- Same birthday but one year apart

 

  1. [+239 -41] Where can I watch this drama?



 

  1. [+162 -50] She appeared in several CFs with JB. If you think about it, she is like JB, while Jinyoung is like the other Oasix members who are no longer popular now. They are the opposite of each other although they have these similarities. Fate is truly funny.



 

  1. [+101 -25] To think that not even his fans could find out Jinyoung’s whereabout but Nayeon managed to run into him by chance. If this is not fate, I don’t know what it is.



  
  
  
  


 

 

Jinyoung first heard about the rumours when he was supposed to working on his paper that was due the following week. Surrounded by books and stacks of papers, he was simply staring blankly at the screen of his laptop before receiving an invitation for a video call. Images from Jaebum and Nayeon’s photoshoot flashed into his mind the moment he heard their names for the first time in a long while. He remembered staring at the huge poster of them at some bus stop, thinking they looked good together.

 

“The company is really messy right now. Apparently the director yelled at Jaebum yesterday. You know nobody ever yells at him,” said Wonpil. After Jinyoung left, Wonpil would get in touch him every now and then and fill him in with the current happenings although he never asked for them. Usually, Jinyoung would cut him off and skilfully change the topic, but today he decided to pay attention.

 

In one of the photos from the shoot, the one he saw at the bus stop, Jaebum and Nayeon, clad in matching school uniform, held hands while smiling sweetly at the camera. Had it already begun then?

 

Nayeon’s voice suddenly echoed in his head. _“Is Jaebum really the same person I see on TV?”_  Since she was already busy preparing for debut, the only time Jinyoung ever managed to come face-to-face with her alone after that encounter was during her debut party. He never found out if she discovered the answer.

 

“Do you think they are really together?” Wonpil asked, his voice cutting through the silence.

 

Jinyoung exhaled heavily. The clock on the sidebar of his laptop read 2.51 AM, and his work was nowhere near done. “I’m going to bed,” he told his friend without answering his question, then crashed onto his bed after putting the laptop on a sleep mode.

 

He only managed to fall asleep after tossing and turning too many times, had a dream where it was him who Nayeon had a photoshoot with. It was him who held her hand, and it was him, not Jaebum, who she was dating.

 

Jinyoung woke up the next morning with a headache, and he blamed it all on his paper.

  
  
  
  


 

 

For the first time in almost a decade, Jinyoung finds himself in the building where he spent most of his youth.

 

The company went out of their way to contact him to summon him over. Apparently there is something that they want to discuss directly instead of over the phone. They sounded serious enough, and since Nayeon urged him, he decided to agree on the meeting.

 

As he makes his way to the director’s office, he realizes that he’s only been twice before - when he began his career, and when he ended it. Even with the plan that he and Nayeon have carefully drafted, Jinyoung doesn’t know what to expect now.

 

“This matter has been a subject of debate in the company. Since you were once a part of us, I’m sure you understand that we strive to be a place which create opportunities for our talents to maximise their potentials. After much discussion, we were finally to reach a decision,” Kang Jaewan announces as soon as his secretary who came in to serve them coffee closes the door behind her. Both of them are seated at the leather sofa in his office, ironically at the exact same position as the last time they were here together. “We’d like to make an offer.”

 

“What offer?” Jinyoung questions, picking up his coffee. It’s served in a china set, he notes. The first time he was in this office it was just a paper cup. He wasn’t served anything the second time.

 

The director places a leather file on the table in front of him. Much like in a drama, he thinks. “We would like to offer you an opportunity to once again become JYP Entertainment’s talent, which means, we will be managing you and your schedules, including reviewing invitations and scripts.”

 

“In other words, you want to sign me again?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

Jinyoung glances at his nameplate on the desk that probably hasn’t moved an inch since then. The man has clearly aged, but his tone is just as firm and serious as it had always been. Jinyoung used to be amazed at his ability to remain calm at all times, even while delivering news that that could completely change someone’s life, for better or worse. Today, however, it puts him off.

 

“I’ll think about it,” he responds flatly, and gets to his feet. All of a sudden, he can’t stand being in the room for another second. He gives the man who used to be his employer a curt bow before making his way to the door, without touching the coffee, without even taking a look at the contract. He knows Kang Jaewan will make sure he receives it, anyway.

 

Everything is progressing according to Nayeon’s prediction, more or less, as though she is staging the whole thing. It scares Jinyoung the more he thinks about it. He was gone for a decade, but this industry is just as ruthless and greedy.

 

Jinyoung thought a lot about coming back here, returning to the country, the scene that he came to loathe. He could simply choose to remain in Australia and continue living his quiet life, yet he decided to accept Nayeon’s proposal and go along with her plan.

 

_“Do you regret coming back here?”_

 

Her voice echoes in his head out of the blue, just like that night as he laid down in his cold and dark room. His hand trembles as he presses the elevator button. It arrives at his floor just in time. With a _ding_ , the doors open, and he looks up only to find Jaebum inside.

 

Jaebum smirks like he’s not surprised to see Jinyoung here. He makes no attempt to exit, which leaves the latter with no choice but to join him and stands at the opposite side.

 

“This company’s really quick when it comes to these things, right? Saving the person who’s most likely to benefit them from a sinking ship. Now that there’s not much left to milk from me, or maybe nothing at all, they’re moving to you.”

 

Jinyoung doesn’t say anything in return, partly because Jaebum pointed out the truth, but mostly because he’s not quite sure what to say. When it comes to Jaebum, he never knows how to arrange his words and have a proper conversation. They were never close, not even after debuting and spending almost every minute of everyday together sharing the same space. If anything, the debut tore them further apart from each other.

 

“Is this why you came back? Of all people, I didn’t expect it from you.”

 

“Why not?” Jinyoung counters. “All those while, I yielded, stepped aside and made way for other people. For you. The one they chose to save from our sinking boat was you, not me. Have you ever thought about me even for just a second? Or did you think I was just some disposable object without feelings?”

 

Leaning one shoulder again the metal wall with his arms crossed, Jaebum stares at Jinyoung. The latter turns away, and later hears Jaebum’s scoff. “I see.” He nods. “This is gonna be interesting.”

 

The elevator arrives at the ground floor, and Jaebum makes his exit without another glance at Jinyoung.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**Jinyoung to re-sign with JYP Entertainment?**

 

Ex-JJ Project member Park Jinyoung was spotted leaving JYP Entertainment’s building last Monday.

 

According to an insider, the agency is keen on signing the former idol again following his rising popularity due to his marriage with Im Nayeon.

 

Previously during the couple’s press conference, Jinyoung, 30, did not express his intention of resuming his idol career. However, demands have been undeniably high as the public’s interest in him continues to grow.

 

No official press statement has been released by JYP Entertainment yet.

 

Jinyoung’s previous contract with the agency ended in 2014 when he decided to further his studies and retire from the industry. After spending a decade away from public’s eyes, he married his former labelmate earlier this month.

 

_Source: SportsChosun_

  
  
  


 

 

“So the company wants to throw a birthday party for us,” Nayeon tells him.

 

Jinyoung watches the meat on the grill, turning brown from pink. A little like getting old, but not quite the same. Does being mature simply mean getting used to the shit thrown at you? “Isn’t that an SM thing?”

 

“Apparently they figured it’s the best way to appeal to you and your fans.” She skilfully flips the meat and places the cooked pieces in his plate, then dips one in the sauce before putting it in her mouth. There is no secret between the two of them, but some things you can only pick up by spending time together.

 

They are having dinner at a barbecue restaurant outside their neighbourhood for a change. It’s packed and noisy, but somehow no one noticed the couple that tops search engines sitting amongst them. Even if someone does notice, it’s not going to work against them anyway. That’s what Nayeon reasoned.

 

Jinyoung had a craving for grilled meat once in Melbourne. He could easily go to the Korean barbecue restaurant near the university. He’s not particular about having a meal alone, after all he’s been doing that for years. Yet, something about seeing the place being filled by groups of youngsters deterred him from stepping inside.

 

“Remember when we first found out that our birthdays fall on the same day?”

 

“We promised to celebrate it together, but we never did.”

 

Promises that were never kept. Are they simply made to make people feel better about themselves? “I haven’t even signed the contract, and they’re already trying to arrange my schedules,” he muses, sipping on his water.

 

“You’re signing?” She looks up, meeting his eyes. Hers were hidden behind the bill of her cap most of the time they’re here.

 

“No,” he says after consideration. “It’s a 3-year contract. A lot can happen in three years.”

 

“Solo comeback, dramas, movies, tons of variety shows…” Her voice trails off. “Marriage.”

 

“Divorce,” he finishes. She smiles faintly.

 

Nayeon pays for dinner, so Jinyoung buys her coffee on the way home. Someone snaps a photo of them at the cafe in secret, and in less than an hour the same photo makes it way to Naver’s front page. As she predicted, the comments are all praises.

  
  
  
  


 

 

Apparently there’s a new script that the company wants her to read, Nayeon’s not stupid. Like most of her previous scripts, they could’ve had it delivered to her through her manager. She knows too well that it’s simply an excuse to get her to come so they can talk to her about Jinyoung’s contract.

 

She doesn’t let them, however. Before they can start, she tells them that his contract is his decision to make, and quickly leaves the office afterwards.

 

Nayeon doesn’t go to the company so often now, and finds excuses not to. When she does go, she doesn’t stick around for too long. There are fresh faces everywhere, idol hopefuls who spend day and night holed in the practice rooms. She was one of them. Jinyoung, Jaebum, they all were.

 

But Nayeon has another reason of avoiding the company, and she’s reminded of it today when she hears a voice calling her.

 

“Unni!”

 

She turns around towards the voice with a ready smile, and finds the person she didn’t expect.

 

Jihyo greets her the same energy she had when they were still active as a group and the same megawatt smile. “It’s been a while. How are you- ah, congratulations on your wedding! Sorry I couldn’t wish you earlier.”

 

Nayeon continues to smile at her, a little less genuine. She couldn’t have, Nayeon thinks, because she’s changed her number several times and they never updated each other’s contact numbers since the split. They didn’t even have as much as a group chat.

 

“Why are you here?” asks Nayeon. She realizes too late that her question might have come off offensive though she didn’t mean it, but Jihyo doesn’t seem affected. Then again, Jihyo doesn’t have a single mean fibre in her. Always too kind towards everyone.

 

“Recording a song. It’s going to be an OST for Kim Yoojung’s new drama.”

 

“Really? I’ll look out for it.”

 

They smile at each other, way too politely for two people who spent several years together. Still, out of the five of them, Jihyo is the one Nayeon has spoken to the most after the disbandment.

 

None of them ever heard from Cecelia again since she went back to Australia. At least Lena still appears on news, and Minyoung’s voice graces the radio every now and then. She doesn’t keep in touch with any of them. Not even Jungyeon, who she was closest to. Jihyo, on the other hand, is the only one who still talks about their memories fondly.

 

The moment of awkwardness comes to a halt when someone calls Jihyo and reminds her they need to continue recording. She and Nayeon say goodbye with a nonchalant “see you later” which carries no meaning, out of habit.

  
  
  
  


 

 

The same year she hopped on a plane to Melbourne for the first time, Nayeon and Jaebum ended their relationship for good. It was bound to happen, she saw it coming long before the words did slip from their lips.

 

Jaebum was at the peak of his career. He was as successful as an idol can be, so successful that people even stopped comparing him to previous solo singers in his genre like Rain and Se7en, and started calling him by his own name. Companies line up to sign a commercial deal with him. His face was plastered on countless billboards, not counting the ones paid by fans. Every song he released ranked first on charts.

 

Unfortunately, people don’t stay at the top for a long time.

 

He made headlines almost everyday, more about his nightlife and less about his music. Photos and videos kept flooding in that the company wasn’t able to make anymore excuses. Even his fans stopped protecting him. There were new people in the industry anyway, ready to steal his spot with fresh image and fresh talents. The industry was never that forgiving to start with. They don’t give second chances.

 

With the people around him gone, Jaebum began to push Nayeon away as well. His career was falling apart while hers continued to rise. It was a reality that he couldn’t face. But instead of picking up the pieces, he went on to destroy himself further.

 

Nayeon rang the bell of Jinyoung’s apartment out of desperation and determination. If there was anything she could do to get Jaebum to snap out of it, it would be to push him to the extreme. If there was anyone she could ask for help, it would be Jinyoung.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**Nayeon and Jinyoung share an adorable photo on their birthday**

 

On September 22, Nayeon posted a photo of her with Jinyoung celebrating their birthday together on her fancafe. She included a short caption that says, “First time.”

 

Instead of an extravagant celebration, the newlyweds chose to have a low profile event at home with a simple cake. They are also seen dressed comfortably in t-shirts with no makeup on.

 

The happy couple whose birthdays fall on the same day was revealed to be dating last month, and walked down the aisle on September 1.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**Park Jinyoung declines contract deal with JYP Entertainment**

 

Following the rumours of ex-JJ Project Jinyoung possibly re-signing with his former agency, it has been confirmed that the reunion is not happening.

 

Reportedly, Jinyoung is not interested in the offer made by JYP Entertainment to resume his singing career and prefers not to be tied to any company for the time being.

 

The decision raises questions regarding the future of JYP Entertainment with his wife, Nayeon. Her contract will be expiring next year and many are guessing that she will not be renewing.

 

On the other hand, the news did not deter other entertainment agencies from dropping out of the race to sign the former idol. Nothing has been hinted about his next move.

 

Source: Nate

  
  
  
  


 

 

“Do you have too much time in your hand? Should I call your manager and tell him to get you a job?” Jaebum asks as soon as she’s seated across of him, like the last time, just like all the times they were here.

 

“I wouldn’t be worried about me if I were you,” she replies in a nonchalant voice. “Shouldn’t you be visiting the hospital instead of clubs?”

 

Nayeon doesn’t fail to notice his clenched jaw, reacting to her question. She knows she’s hit the right spot.

 

“Going to hospital won’t fix anything.”

 

“So you’re just going to continue ruining your back?” she goes on.

 

“Then what the fuck am I supposed to do?” he raises his voice, causing some heads to turn at their direction. She half- expects at least one of them to take out their phone and start recording or snap a photo, but at this point she doesn’t really care. He gives her a pointed look. “It’s all coming to the end, anyway. Either that, or they’ll ship me to the US. That’s where all screwed up celebrities wound up at, right?”

 

“It’s still not too late to turn things around, Jaebum,” she tells him, almost a beg. She always used to see Jaebum so tall and so strong, almost invincible. But now the man in front him looks exhausted, with hollowed cheeks and bags under his eyes. When did things go wrong?

 

He slams a bill on the table and leaves without another word and another glance at her. Nayeon sits still staring at the vacated seat, tears pooling up in her eyes.

 

“Men are like that,” comes a gentle voice. She looks up and sees the old lady, who’s kneeling down by the table to clear the plates. “They don’t understand anything, yet they get upset when we don’t understand them.”

 

Nayeon smiles sadly at her. Even though they never talked to the old lady beyond regular things that customers would say, she seems to have always assumed them to be a normal, then-campus couple. They came here too often, accompanied by playful banters and gleeful giggles, but never a fight. “What should I do?” Nayeon asks.

 

“If he cares about you just as much as you care about him, he will come around. Don’t worry, and don’t cry.”

 

“What if he doesn’t?”

 

Looking at her, the older woman returns her smile, warm like the meals in the restaurant. It makes Nayeon all fuzzy inside. “Then he probably doesn’t deserve your heart.”

  
  
  
  


 

 

It doesn’t take long for Jinyoung to recall how affectionate his friend can be when Wonpil almost suffocates him in his embrace. But as soon as he lets go, Wonpil immediately punches Jinyoung’s arm. “Didn’t even invite me to your wedding, this bastard.”

 

He chuckles. “Sorry. It was hard to get your contact number.”

 

Wonpil smiles, eyes all crinkled up, always so quick to forgive. He’s wearing a black jacket and a cap which he tugs down as they start walking. It reminds Jinyoung that his friend is a celebrity - a famous one at that - and it gives him a strange feeling because the Wonpil in his memory is still the boy he hung out with all the time, playing games and grabbing late night snacks. “Yeah. I was rather surprised to hear from you, to be honest,” he says.

 

Wonpil left the company not too long after Jinyoung did, seeing that the prospect of debuting was not within reach. JYP wasn’t known for producing bands, anyway, which was what he wanted to be in instead of an idol group.

 

“It feels like yesterday I talked to you about Nayeon and Jaebum. It’s weird thinking that you’re married to her now.” He glances at Jinyoung, and after consideration, adds, “I don’t mean that in a bad way. It’s just that… lots of things happened while you were gone. Of course, you would have read about it, or heard from Nayeon herself, but it’s different when you see it for yourself.”

 

Jinyoung watches Wonpil carefully. The last time they spoke was when Jinyoung was still in Ontario. Wonpil tried to stay in touch, pretending that distance and time zone don’t exist and they were just chatting away just like they always did instead of catching up on sleep. Unfortunately, real life soon got in the way and they realized they’ve run out of things to say, now that they no longer share a common life.

 

“It’s good that you’re with her, Jinyoung.” He smiles with the familiarity of an old friend. It feels like they’re 17-year-olds again.

  
  
  
  


 

 

Someone had told her that the show business is a lot like looking at the moon from where we stand. People see only the part that’s lit up, the bright side, while the rest of it remains hidden in the darkness.

 

When the company suggests that Nayeon release a special mini album for a change, she doesn’t dismiss the idea. It’s just one of their effort to milk her out while they still can, despite reasoning that it’s for her 10th debut anniversary. Her contract is expiring in the coming year, and as speculated by many, there’s a chance she might not be renewing.

 

The truth is, she really just wants to sing. After her group dissolved, there weren’t that many times that she sang. She sang a couple of original soundtracks, performed one of them once at a year-end awards show, and that was the end of her singing career.

 

When Oasix was still active, Nayeon wasn’t known for her voice. It’s not as strong as Jihyo’s or as distinctive as Minyoung’s. She was simply known for her looks, and that upset her more than anything.

 

She started focusing on acting not because she loves it as much as her company informed the media. After Oasix went separate ways and Nayeon found herself on her own, she lost all confidence in herself. It’s only when she becomes another person on camera that she can regain it.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**Singles Exclusive Interview with Park Jinyoung**

 

_We met with Park Jinyoung who returned as a refined man on a bright autumn day. Dressed in a beige-colored long coat over a simple black t-shirt and slacks, he spoke about the years he spent transforming from an idol to a regular white-collar, and the reason he gave that up._

 

_Singles: Fans might remember you as the peppy and ebullient boy from JJ Project, but now you returned as a quiet and reticent man. It’s like you’ve become a different person._

 

Jinyoung: A lot of people told me that I changed. When I debuted, I was simply eager to impress, be an entertainer and gain as many fans as I could. Compared to then, I have become more careful about what I say. You can either heal or hurt people depending on your choice of words. Rather than saying I’ve calmed down and become less talkative, I want to be more responsible for both my actions and words.

 

_Singles: You’ve spent a decade being away and living as a regular person. What was the biggest change?_

 

Jinyoung: I wasn’t popular enough to be recognized on the street then. I didn’t have to practise singing and dancing and worry about hitting it big anymore, but I had to study and worry about my grades. If you see it from that perspective, nothing much changed.

 

_Singles: What about now?_

 

Jinyoung: I’ve taken time off from work so I have a lot free time now. That’s the only difference.

 

_Singles: How do you spend your free time?_

 

Jinyoung: I read, watch movies, go for a walk and explore the city. Honestly, I don’t have much memories of Seoul. I wasn’t born and raised here, and I spent most of my time in the practice room and dorm back then. Even though I lived here for several years, I still act like a tourist and feel amazed when I go to the places I never got to go.

 

_Singles: Between Seoul and Melbourne, which place makes you feel more at home?_

 

Jinyoung: There’s familiarity in both cities, but to be completely honest, neither makes me think “I belong here”. Even when I go back to my hometown, so many things have changed and it’s no longer the place that I remember. I’m like a nomad.

 

_Singles: Does this thought make you lonely?_

 

Jinyoung: I try to be positive about it. People refer to getting married as settling down. Instead of searching for a place where I feel belong, I thought perhaps I can create it myself.

 

_Singles: It must have taken a lot of effort to readjust your life after quitting the entertainment industry. You seem to have a stable life in Melbourne, but you gave that up and came back to Seoul._

 

Jinyoung: In order for two people to come together, there’s a need for sacrifices. Marriage is a two-way street, so both sides cannot be selfish. However, since people only focus on my side of the story, the tend to overlook the fact that my wife gave up some things too just because they don’t see it.

 

_Singles: You mentioned that you’re taking time off from work. Does this mean you will be going back to Melbourne again?_

 

Jinyoung: There are still things that I haven’t settled, like my current job, so I will definitely be going back. In the case of long term stay, it’s not decided yet.

 

_Singles: In the past, some celebrities made a comeback after they went on a long hiatus, like Wonder Girls’ Sunmi and actress Go Soyoung. Can fans expect anything from you?_

 

Jinyoung: I don’t have plans to return, but I may change my mind if a great opportunity comes my way. For the time being, though, I want to enjoy my free time.

 

_Singles: We really hope to see idol Jinyoung again in the future._

 

Jinyoung: That probably wouldn’t happen. I’m too old to be an idol now. Young girls would call me _ahjussi_ instead of _oppa_. (laughs)

 

_Singles: A lot of people are curious about your relationship with JB. Do you still keep in touch?_

 

Jinyoung: We don’t, but I happened to run into him recently. It would be a lie if I say we were the best of friends. Of course, there was a sense of rivalry. To succeed in the entertainment world, talent alone is not enough. JB has both stage presence and star power, that’s why he receives more love. He earned his success and deserved it. There’s no hard feelings.

 

_Singles: If you can turn back time, would you change things?_

 

Jinyoung: Maybe not. In a book I read, there’s this concept of one small action leading up to a huge event. If I went back and change even just one thing, the following events would change as well, right? Then everything that had happened would be meaningless. Besides, I might end up ruining more things instead of fixing them. Becoming an idol may not be the longest chapter in my life, and it may not be the best one, but it’s still as important. Leaving and starting over in different countries, every single detail is important. ■

  
  
  
  


 

 

Today, a girl with the magazine that contains his interview peeking out of her handbag walked past Jinyoung without a second glance. Not that he was expecting, but again, it made him wonder about the irony of the world, of people chasing after something glittering they see on the screen or pages of a magazine, yet failing to notice what’s right in front of them.

 

Jinyoung didn’t decide to return to this world for nothing. There were several factors that he considered while weighing his options.

 

There was longing, first and foremost. He thought he could live without it, but he realized for the first time when he saw Nayeon again that, even after all these years living as a person who people have no reason to take another look at, the thirst to be recognized never really left him.

 

There was desire as well. For so long, he lived as Jaebum’s shadow, always a step behind him. All he could see of Jaebum then was his back. For once, he wishes to stand side by side, if not one step ahead.

 

And then, there was greed.

 

_“Please send a video message to your husband to wrap up this interview.”_

 

He stares at Nayeon’s unchanging smile. Be it then when he stood in front of the poster of her with Jaebum, or now looking at her through the television screen, there has always been a distance between them that not even marriage could help decrease.

 

_“Thank you for always staying by my side. I love you.”_

 

He wishes everything about this was real.

  
  
  
  


 

 

Jaebum is rushed to the hospital the day before Christmas. The guard found him curled up in the practice room, screeching in pain and covered in sweat. His back acted up again when he was attempting a turn he used to be so good at. The pain stretched to his entire body and paralyzed him.

 

Nayeon slips into his room that night when most of the lights have been turned off. He’s sleeping by the time she’s there, and she sits quietly by his bed and watches him.  All the angry lines and frown are gone. For the first time in such a long while, he looks at peace.

 

It doesn’t last for long, though. As though he can sense her presence, he wakes up. She tries to smile. “You really should stop causing trouble.”

 

He doesn’t smile back, but his face doesn’t harden like it usually does these days when he looks at her. “You shouldn’t be here,” he says.

 

She doesn’t respond to that. “You’re lucky the guard was there. He was making a round when he found you. What if no one was there? What were you thinking?”

 

“I thought that maybe I can nail that move if I tried it one more time,” he answered in a low voice. “And I think you really should stop nagging.”

 

There’s a hint of tease in his voice, and that eases her heart. She reaches for his hand. He doesn’t retract. “I wish things can go back to how it was.”

 

His eyes soften. The person lying on the bed now is no longer the Jaebum who easily gets angry at anything and everything, but the Jaebum she remembers and misses. All of a sudden, she feels like they can really go back. “You and I both know that that’s impossible.”

 

“I know. That’s why it makes me sad.”

 

He squeezes her hand gently. Nayeon stays for a while, and leaves after she’s done crying.

  
  
  


 

 

After all this time, Jinyoung learns that the media remains ruthless and unforgiving.

 

Dispatch keep their annual tradition and release photos of Nayeon and Jaebum on the first day of the new year. From photos of them on a date years back to photos of her leaving the hospital several nights ago, everything is covering the front pages of tabloids, and all over the internet.

 

Kang Jaewan yells at her over the phone, voice so loud that she doesn’t need to put him on speaker. As words like _have you lost your mind_ and _what the hell were you thinking_ fill the room, Nayeon sinks deeper in the comfort of her blanket, wishing that the warmth can at least keep her from breaking down.

 

Jaebum is still cooped up in the hospital room, and Nayeon can imagine the mayhem, with press trying to get even one word from him and staff trying to maintain peace inside. Just several nights ago, she was there with him, finally reducing the distance between them, but now it feels like they are light years away from each other.

 

Just as the phone call ends, Jinyoung knocks on the door like he’s been waiting. He brings in with him a tray with a bowl of chicken porridge and a glass of water. “You should eat something,” he tells her, setting the tray down on her bedside table.

 

"I'm sorry," is all she manages to say to him. "This isn't supposed to happen. It's not a part of our plan and it's all my fault. What's worse is now I'm dragging you down with me." She closes her eyes as she tries to hold back tears. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought you back after all."

 

He sighs, and pulls a chair over to sit by her side. "It would be weirder if everything actually goes as planned. Maybe kind of scary, too."

 

"I shouldn't have gone to see Jaebum that night."

 

"No, what you did wasn't wrong. Going to see him wasn't wrong. You said you were finally able to talk to him without either of you shouting at each other, right? So that was good. The only thing that's wrong is... the media," he assures her. "It's not your fault at all, Nayeon."

 

She looks at him, feeling nothing but apologetic, and tries to smile. Jinyoung has always been gentle with his words and actions, even back then when he used to be a lot more talkative and lively. She remembers how much she liked him for it. She still does. "The reason why you agreed to be a part of this whole ordeal... it's not all Jaebum like you told me, is it?"

 

He shakes his head, the corners of his lips curling. "No, it's not."

 

This time, she smiles genuinely, at him and for him. He doesn't reach for her hand, but instead for the bowl and begins feeding her, not forgetting to cool down every spoonful. Even with her chattiness, she's always loved the silence she shared with Jinyoung, be it then or now. Through him, she learned that all things must be spoken out loud and understood with words. These are the moments when she savours and holds firm in her memories.

 

Nayeon doesn't ask further. She doesn't need to.

  
  
  
  


 

 

At the front of Lotte Plaza, there's a billboard so big that it's visible from a distance, and whoever graces it signifies their popularity and influence in the nation.

 

Jinyoung stands at the intersection, across the street from the mall and stares at the billboard. Jaebum, with wine red hair and perfectly aligned teeth, grins brightly at him and at every passerby while holding Samsung's latest smartphone. His eyes crinkle with glee. Jinyoung realizes that he has never really seen that smile in person.

 

For a long time, the one who has been honoured to be the face on the billboard has been Jaebum. Today, they're replacing the advertisement with a massive poster by SM Entertainment, promoting their current biggest girl group. Jaebum's face is torn down, and somehow somewhere inside Jinyoung aches.

 

Disposable. All idols are.

  
  
  
  


 

 

**JYP Entertainment denies allegations of JB and Nayeon's relationship**

 

JB and Nayeon have denied rumours of their relationship, following reports made by a media outlet. On Wednesday, photos of Nayeon visiting labelmate JB at the hospital were posted online, along with past photos from their alleged dating period.

 

A source from JYP Entertainment clarified that the reports are completely false. “JB and Nayeon have been close friends for a long time. She’s also a married woman now, so the rumours make no sense.”

 

In 2015, rumours circulated that the two were dating based on their close friendship and several matching items they wore, including bracelets with a similar pendant. The newly revealed photos reignited the dating rumours, despite the agency’s consistent denial of the relationship.

 

JB was hospitalized on December 24 for his recurring back injury. Meanwhile, Nayeon who has been taking a break from acting is currently choosing her next project.

  
  
  
  


 

 

Jinyoung heads back to Melbourne at the end of the month, and unsurprisingly, no one waits for him at both airports.

 

People link the reason of him leaving to Nayeon’s scandal, but he makes it a point to stop reading comments. Only the two of them know the real truth, and he thinks that is enough.

 

It’s easy to slip back into his old routine. Grabbing breakfast on his way to work, spending lunchtime in his office, falling asleep in the tram on his way back. It’s almost as if the past several months never happened, and he’s just woken up from a deep slumber. No one asks him about the latest article about Nayeon released on news portals. No one even knows her down here.

 

Still, once in a while as he sits at his usual spot at the same café he used to come with Nayeon, or while he walks down the street leading to his house and looks up at the blinking lamp, he wonders if Nayeon misses him.

  
  
  
  


 

 

The company is strangely quiet today. She doesn’t run into as many trainees or staff as she usually does either.

 

For the first time in a really long while, Nayeon finds herself at the basement practice room. As she hoped, the room is not occupied by anyone when she stepped inside, so she decided to stay a little longer.

 

This room has always been her favourite place in this building. Since not many people liked to use the room, she used to come here whenever she could, especially when she needed time alone. It helped her to calm down and gather her thoughts. But more than anything, this place is special to her because it’s where her memories with both Jinyoung and Jaebum dwell.

 

Once, she sat here with Jaebum. Just the two of them, after the other girls went back to their dorm. They sat against the wall and stared off the distance. They were talking about something, Nayeon no longer remembers what it was about, but she does remember that when silence settled between them, she glanced aside to look at their reflection in the mirror. That was when Jaebum reached for her hand.

 

Sitting at the same spot, she closes her eyes and immerses herself in memories.

  
  
  
  


 

 

Jinyoung’s phone rings before the break of dawn. It’s a number he doesn’t recognize, but he knows from the code that the call is from Seoul. When he presses the phone to his ear, he hears an unexpected voice greeting him.

 

He dials the number he memorizes by heart as soon as the conversation ends. She doesn’t pick up.

  
  
  
  


**Nayeon to retire from entertainment industry**

 

Singer-actress Im Nayeon has announced that she is retiring from the entertainment industry on March 31.

 

She made the announcement through her official fancafe, citing her decision to not renew her contract with JYP Entertainment or sign with another agency. She also expressed her desire to focus on her personal life. In her letter, she wrote, “ _After spending over a decade being a public figure, I now wish to focus on my private life. This is a decision that I came up with after discussing with my family._

 

 _To all my fans who have supported me, to everyone who has stayed by my side and taken care of me, thank you for the wonderful 11 years._ ”

 

Nayeon, 30, debuted in 2014 as a member of idol group Oasix. She pursued her career as an actress after her group disbanded three years later, and had notable roles in various dramas and films, including _Blue_ and _In The Forest_. She also released a mini album last winter, Small Letters. She married former labelmate Park Jinyoung last September.

 

Her final film, _See You Tomorrow_ is set to hit the cinemas this June.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


 

 

Her doorbell rings for the first time since she moved here. She almost forgot that it’s even there in the first place. Sometimes the elders in the neighbourhood come over to give her something, anything, from homemade kimchi to a basketful of tangerines, but they never use the bell.

 

Nayeon moved down to Jeju after she ended her career. In this small seaside village where the number of residents is less than the one living in her old apartment building, and most of them have spent all their lives here, no one knows who she was. Her house is a tiny cottage surrounded by traditional stacked rocks as the fence. It looks out to the vast sea, so the view is gorgeous especially during the day. Time moves slowly here, but she can spend the entire day watching the waves.

 

The face that greets her when she opens the door is not the face she expected, but it’s the one she misses. “I found you at last.”

 

Her eyes well up instantly, and she tries to keep her lower lip from trembling. “How did you–”

 

“I asked around and, well, Jaebum said you’d be here.”

  
Jinyoung smiles at her, tightlipped yet so warm, just like how she remembers it. He steps forward and wraps his arms around her. It feels nice. She closes her eyes and listens to the waves. A lot like home.

**Author's Note:**

> This whole fic was a result of some of my strange ideas, including "what if media plays don't just include dating news but also marriage". I watched too many dramas and read too many fics. Nothing is meant to be real.
> 
> I want to express my sincerest gratitude to y, without whom I wouldn't be able to complete this fic. I also want to thank my friends who gave me support and motivation when I needed them, and of course my team.


End file.
